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Chicago

Sweet home Chicago … because it's your kind of town

Lakefront

Beaches

Sports

Shopping

Architecture

Restaurants

Nightlife

Mass Transit

Walkable

America’s third-biggest city fosters a totally unique local persona, with a wild and colorful history that has earned an eclectic string of nicknames: the Second City, the City of Broad Shoulders, the City Beautiful, and of course, the Windy City. A legendary music group is named after it, countless songs have been written about it, plays are based on it, and movies and television shows are set in it. Perhaps it is because, as Frank Sinatra crooned, "you lose the blues in Chicago." Local landmarks like the Willis Tower, Wrigley Field, the Bean, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, and the Art Institute have become ingrained in American popular culture. It's Chicago, and it's amazing.

Taking up a massive chunk of Lake Michigan’s western shore, Chicago spent much of the past century and a half building itself into a truly world-class city offering a little something for everybody. The architecture is stunning, from the John Hancock Tower to the Tribune Tower to the Willis Tower. Chicago's neighborhoods are legendary, from the Magnificent Mile to the Gold Coast to Lincoln Park. Summers spent on beaches like North Avenue Beach and Oak Street Beach are filled with swimming, boating, and beachcombing. Oh, and sports fans love Chicago -- this is home to legendary teams and equally legendary arenas, particularly the Cubs at Wrigley Field, the Bears at Soldier Field, and the Blackhawks and Bulls at United Center.

Explore the City

Aerial view of the city

Cloud Gate at dusk

Riding the "L" in Chicago

The Chicago Stock Exchange is on LaSalle Street

Lighted trees along the Navy Pier

Shopping along the Magnificent Mile

Rent Trends

As of February 2018, the average apartment rent in Chicago, IL is $1,164 for a studio, $1,254 for one bedroom, $1,762 for two bedrooms, and $2,071 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Chicago has decreased by -14.0% in the past year.

Living in Chicago

Transportation

Chicago is a very pedestrian-friendly city, complete with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)'s "L" trains. The Metra commuter train is also available and widely used. Travelers can also take buses or participate in the city's bicycle-share program, or they can hop on a trolley. For longer trips, O'Hare International Airport is available. For car travel, residents can take I-90 or I-290.

History

Settled in the 1780s, it's possible that Chicago was explored as early as 1679 -- when the first reference to the city was made by Robert de LaSalle, a French explorer who focused on the Great Lakes Region. He wrote about a place called "Checagou" in his memoir, where he claimed the name came from the "quantity of garlic which grows in the forests."

By 1833, the town had roughly 200 residents. Within seven years, that number had exploded to more than 4,000 -- mainly due to the important lakefront location. In 1893, the city hosted the very first World's Fair. The event set a world record for attendance, with more than 751,000 attending.

During the 1920s and the era of Prohibition, Chicago became the setting for some infamous gangsters, including Al Capone and Bugs Moran. In 1929, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre took place in the city, when Al Capone and his gang took on Bugs Moran and his gang.

Shopping

You can't talk about shopping in Chicago without starting on the Magnificent Mile. Chicago's most famous stretch of street spans several blocks of Michigan Avenue, and attracts millions of shoppers every year with its offerings of designer boutiques, department stores, and urban shopping centers such as Water Tower Place.

Next to the historic Water Tower and John Hancock Building, Water Tower Place offers six indoor stories of shops and restaurants, including the Chicago Sports Museum and the American Girl Cafe and store, where young girls can customize their own doll, browse her entire wardrobe collection, and even attend a tea party with theatrical reenactments of the associated books.

Even if you don't rent an apartment near the Loop, North Side, or Magnificent Mile, the Chicago Pedway is a six-mile system of underground and indoor pedestrian walkways that you can access from the Red and Blue El Lines, as well as the Metra. It connects many iconic Chicago shopping destinations, including the Macy's that replaced the iconic Marshall Field's on State Street.

Parks

Millennium Park offers a lakefront experience like nothing else you'll find in America. The park's iconic Cloudgate, a mirrored sculpture affectionately dubbed "The Bean," will give you a whole new perspective of the skyline behind you, and in the winter time, you can hit this Loop hot spot to ice skate on a huge temporary rink. The Art Institute of Chicago is right next door, giving this whole part of town a very Central Park feel.

On Chicago's north side, the Lincoln Park Zoo gives families a completely free, up-close look at hundreds of apes, big cats, sea animals, primates, reptiles, and more. The sprawling park is open to the public and offers festive seasonal celebrations, such as Christmas light extravaganza Zoo Lights and an outdoor summer concert series.

There's nothing like the Taste of Chicago, a famous culinary extravaganza that occupies Grant Park every July. The park also permanently hosts Lollapalooza, a three-day summer music festival that draws music fans from around the world and sells out almost instantly.

Restaurants

The culinary scene in Chicago is legendary, complete with celebrity chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants. Oh, and that amazing deep-dish pizza. Chicago even has their very own twist on hot dogs (don't ask for ketchup). Some amazing restaurants to try include the Bristol, Acanto, the Monkey's Paw, Mana Food Bar, Balena, and Dove's Luncheonette.

Property Style

Apartments for Rent in Chicago, IL

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